Automatic siphon



Dec. 5, 1961 'r. c. STANDIFIRD AUTOMATIC SIPHON Filed Sept. 4. 1959 INVENTOR. THOMAS c. STAND/FIFO A T TOR/VE Y United States Patentt) 3,011,510 AUTOMATIC SIPHON Thomas C. Standifird, 2230 Grahn Drive, Santa Rosa, Calif. Filed Sept. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 838,258 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-151) This invention relates to improvements in siphons and more particularly to an automatic siphon which, when once primed, may be employed in repeated siphoning operations without further priming.

The present invention provides an improved siphon embodying means adapted to function automatically to maintain such siphon in a fully primed condition after each siphoning operation, thereby making it possible to carry the siphon from one place to another and use it repeatedly in siphoning from both large and small bodies of water.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic siphon of the kind characterized, having means capable of controlling the flow therethrou-gh Another object of my invention is to provide an automatic siphon having an inverted cone shaped chamber which supplies suflicient liquid for automatically commencing a siphoning operation when the control means is adjusted to an open position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an automatic siphon having an inverted cone or funnel shaped container adapted to hold an adequate supply of liquid for commencing a siphoning operation, the container having a liquid inlet at its bottom side adapted to be automatically controlled by a globular valve element, which, when the siphoning action is commenced, will be unseated by the pressure of the incoming liquid to allow the free flow through the siphon and which will drop by its own weight when the flow is discontinued, to close the inlet and trap the liquid then in the container, preparatory to the next siphoning operation.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter or will be indicated in the appended claims or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application; I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of an automatic siphon representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown. and described is for purposes'of illustration only and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations of the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic siphon embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally through the cone shaped priming chamber;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows the globular valve element in section.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates an inverted funnel or cone shaped liquid container or chamber having an outwardly extending circular flange 2 to which is secured as by bolts and nuts, a circular plate 3. Secured to and extending downwardly into the interior of the container 1 through an opening in the upper end thereof, is an outlet pipe 4 which is connected at its upper end to one end of a flexible tube 5. The other end of the tube 5 is connected to one end of a metal pipe or tubular fitting 6 provided at its upper side with a threaded filling opening which is normally closed by a screw plug 7. The other end of the fitting 6 is connected to one end of a flexible tube 8 which preferably is of sutficient length to extend below the level of the plate 3, the said other end of such tube being connected to a hand operated control valve 9 of the well known kind having means operated by a hand lever 10 for controlling and regulating the flow of liquid therethrough. The plug 7, when removed, permits the filling of the container 1 and the tubular parts of the siphon with water to suitably prime the apparatus, preparatory to its initial siphoning operation. The control valve 9 is provided with an outlet spout 11 which must necessarily extend below the level of the circular plate 3, the latter having a centrally disposed circular opening 12 therein Which provides an inlet for allowing water to enter the siphoning apparatus from a source of water or liquid supply, such as a reservoir or the like. The control valve 9' is of the well known kind having a valve element (not shown) which is adapted to be unseated by pressing the hand lever 10 inwardly, such valve element having means (not shown) associated therewith for automatically returning it to a closed position when the hand pressure on the lever is released. The control valve 9 makes it possible to regulate the amount of liquid flowing through the siphon.

Secured within the cone shaped container 1 is a suitably shaped cage 13 for confining a globular valve element 14 so the latter will'not become displaced laterally to any appreciable extent in its movement to and from its closing position seated within the circular inlet opening 12 in the plate 3. The sides of the circular opening 12 are suitably beveled to insure a positive closing of such opening when the globular valve element is seated thereon, thereby preventing the escape of liquid from the container 1. The cage preferably comprises four (4) equally spaced vertical guide members 15 arranged in slightly spaced relationship to the closest circumferential points on the globular valve element 14, thereby allowing the free up and down movement of the latter butpreventing it from moving laterally to positions where it may not become quickly seated after the siphoning action is discontinued, as when the control valve- 9 is closed. The globular valve element must necessarily drop by the force of gravity to a closed position with respect to the inlet opening 12 as soon as the flow is discontinued through the control valve 9; otherwise the level of the water in the container 1 will drop below the intake end of the pipe 4 by reason of its escape through the inlet opening, thereby disrupting and preventing the further automatic siphoning operation. The intake end portion of the outlet pipe 4 extends well below the upper edges of the converging sides of the container, thereby making it possible for a small amount of water to escape from the container before the water level reaches a point below the lower end of such outlet pipe, it being noted that by the time the globular valve element 14 drops downwardly and closes the inlet opening 12 after the control valve 9 is closed, a small amount of water will have escaped from the container. The guide members 15 of the cage extend inwardly at 15a and then upwardly at 15b, the latter being secured to the sides of the outlet pipe 4. The inwardly extending members 15a of the cage provide means for limiting the upward movement of the globular valve element 14, and their position with respect to the inlet opening 12 in the plate 3 is such that the globular valve element may rise sufficiently to allow the free flow of liquid into the container. The members 15a of the cage limit the upward movement of the globular valve element and hold it in a position from which it may drop downwardly when the Patented Dec. 5, 1961 water entering the inlet 12 is discontinued even though the container is then filled with water. It is also important that the globular valve element be sufi'iciently heavy to engage firmly with the beveled sides of the inlet opening 12 when seated thereon, but the Weight of such element should be such that it may be easily displaced from its seat and actuated upwardly to an open position with respect to the inlet opening when the siphoning operation is commenced by opening the control valve 9. The body portion 14a of the globular valve element may be made of any suitable material as for example a light Weight metal, and such body portion is encased in a covering 141) of resilient material such as sponge rubber. While the size and weight of the globular valve element may vary in accordance with the dimensions of the container 1 and the inlet opening 12, it has been found that a valve element of approximately eight ounces (8 02.), having a diameter of approximately two and onehalf inches (2%") may be suitable for use with a container having a base of approximately seven inches (7") in diameter and an inlet opening with about a two inch (2") diameter. The fitting 6 which provides means for initially priming the apparatus is preferably located in the suction line at a point where water admitted through its filling opening, which is normally closed by the screw plug 7, may flow downwardly and fill the container 1 as well as the connected tubular members disposed between the latter and the control valve After the siphon is once primed, its operation may be commenced by immersing a substantial portion of the container 1 in a body of water or other liquid and then opening the control valve 9 through the operation of the hand lever 10. As the water flows downwardly through the control valve, the suction in the container commences, and water from the outside is drawn in through the inlet opening 12, thereby unseating the globular valve element 14 and fully opening the inlet to permit the free flow of water into and through the container. Since the globular valve element 14 is prevented from moving upwardly by the inwardly extending members 15a of the cage to a point Where such valve element might partially close the inlet end of the pipe 4, there is no appreciable interference with the free flow of water through the container, the tubular line connected thereto and the control valve, and such flow continues uninterrupted until the supply is exhausted or until the control valve is again closed. When the control valve 9 is closed by releasing the hand lever 10, the suction through the apparatus is discontinued, thereby simultaneously causing a discontinuance of the upward pressure against the globular valve element, which thereupon drops downwardly to close the inlet opening 12 and trap the water then remaining in the container. With the container substantially filled with water and fully primed, the succeeding siphoning operation may be commenced in the manner above described.

While the container 1 preferably embodies the shape of an inverted funnel, other forms and shapes may also be successfully employed in accordance with the principles of my invention. The valve element 14 may conceivably embody shapes and constructions other than that shown and described.

What -I claim is:

1. In an automatic siphon, a liquid container having upwardly converging lateral sides and a substantially horizontal lower side, the lower side having an inlet opening, an outlet pipe extending downwardly into the container and having an inlet end positioned Well above the inlet opening and well below the upper end of the container, an elongated conduit connected to the outlet pipe and having an outlet end positioned below the level of the inlet opening, means at the outlet end of the conduit for controlling the flow therethrough, a valve element in the container arranged for up and down movement, the valve element at the end of its downward movement being positioned to close the inlet opening and at the end of its upward movement being positioned well above the inlet opening, the Weight of the valve element being such that it will be displaced upwardly by Water entering the inlet opening and will drop downwardly when the flow through the container and the conduit is discontinued, and guide means in the container arranged to confine the up and down movement of the valve element to a substantially vertical path, the guide means having inwardly protruding members limiting the upward movement of the valve element to a position below the inlet end of the outlet pipe.

2. In an automatic siphon, the combination set forth by claim 1, together with means connected in the conduit for admitting Water to the conduit and the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 290,561 Flocker Dec. 18, 1883 383,153 Siersdorfer May 22, 1888 1,757,872 Mitchell May 6, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS 284,036 Germany May 4, 19l5 298,722 Italy July 13, 1932 

